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CrossFit/AOFP

The unit policy is that platoons book the facility on a rotating basis

That only gets us in once or twice a week as a platoon.  I can understand rotating the platoons through the week during morning PT to releave congestion. 

As far as safety goes, is lifting weights and calling it Crossfit more dangerous than lifting weights and calling it.......lifting weights?

Some of us just want to increase our fitness by working out on our own time after work or on weekends. 

:salute:
 
M14,

If you were on this morning's parade, you will note that all of your concerns regarding individual and group access to the unit's Crossfit facility have been addressed.  Consider that to be proof that concerns from the shop floor can and will be addressed by your "stupid leadership".  However, we cannot fix things that we don't know are broken. 

Next time, raise your concerns through the chain of comd instead of spouting off and embarassing both yourself and the unit.  Should you choose to post further unwarranted smears against your leadership I will take steps to identify and deal with you.  It is the opinion of the RSM that your first post constituted insubordination.  And you ought to be experienced enough to know what that usually results in.....

Either play nice, or face the consequences.
 
Ouch. Chances are, you won't be able to buff that right out.

M14, hope you like polishing trash cans, friend. Might want to rachet up your, ahem, "essay" diddy mow.
 
I'm just going to keep my big mouth shut and stand in the back row.
 
Don't keep it shut, just do a better job at picking your audience and selecting your wording.  If "Mark C" was the type of guy who didn't give a shit what the NCMs thought he wouldn't have addressed the issue you brought up and you'd be doing the "hatless dance".  During the time I've been an officer I've identified the issue of NCMs keeping their mouth shut as a significant cause of failure. 

A quote from the book I'm reading (No Excuse Leadership) says it well, ""You'd better tell me when I'm headed for a cliff, or I may just take you with me," and half seriously finish, "and if I do, it's going to be your fault , not mine"". 
 
Back on topic...

I have been going to Capital Crossfit for a couple of months now and all I can say is wow! I have seen huge improvements in all aspects of my fitness level. The gym is well-equiped, the training atmosphere is intense but fun, and the instructors are fantastic. It is more like personal training than large-group PT, with class sizes ranging from just myself and the instructor a few times, to a max size of about 8, so you aren't able to dog it in the rear and not get noticed  ;D

The clientell is definitely CF heavy, but it ranges from high-school students to grandmothers, with the workouts scaled to each individual's abilities. Each session is about one hour long and consists of a warm-up, some skill work (such as learning a new movement with broomsticks), some strength work (deadlifts, squats, etc) and then the work-out of the day (WOD). There are no memberships or contracts, you simply purchase a package of classes (10, 20, etc) and attend the sessions you want. There is a 4-hour foundations course that everyone must complete before attending the workouts, the course teaches you the basics of crossfit and the main exercises used.

The workouts are very intense and a real gut-check. At the beginning of each one you think "there's no way I can finish this", but sure enough with motivation from the instructors you grind through it, far past the point where you would have quit if working out on your own. When I first started I would be incredibly sore for days, but now that my body is more conditioned to that level of exertion I recover much faster. 

I highly recommend that anyone in the Ottawa area who is interested in getting into awesome shape check out their site and come for at least the foundation course, you'll be glad that you did, I sure am!



 
I have been off and on with crossfit for about a year now.Being a avid runner,I was having a hard time to find time to do it.However on course we are doing crossfit everyday.Except for the few that are dogging it,everyone is enjoying it.

Is anyone here at CTC Gagetown who is interested in getting together nightly after 18 may at the base gym to do crossfit?Personally I push myself harder to beat people. ;)

I love the program and plan on conducting it nightly after course mode and mess food is complete.

Anyone interested PM me.
 
I might EX_RCAC. Depends on my schedule when I'm at the school.
 
I was part of a "guinea pig" platoon when Cross Fit was just coming to Gagetown for my Phase 2 CAP where our platoon and another did CrossFit and 2 others did the more traditional PT.

Personally I loved the CrossFit program. It was challenging, effective, and you did feel it for the rest of the day when you gave 100%.
Plus, because of the way the program is designed everyone progresses when doing the program. Granted, there's no excuse for not keeping the minimum standard but even those headed for "piggie parade" can advance and compete to improve.

The only drawback I see to CrossFit is that you have to be consistent with your workouts to maintain and gain. And sometimes when you went to the field for a week or more you felt that you lost a bit from your last workout. But again, you get back into it. I very much support the CrossFit program and recommend it to everyone.
 
Since the start of My ARCC (3 months ago,or it feels that way;D)we have done crossfit everyday.Like anything some guys get a good work out,some dog it... as per in life in general.

What I have noticed:
*People with little to no background in any work out plan,are hurting bad.Most are having a hard time walking up a flight of stairs by      wensday.

*Quick workouts means more time to shower and get prepared for the days lessons.For us and the instructors.I highly value 5-10km runs however with people at many different fitness levels from civilian Ironman competetors to Extremely obese,usually takes well over the prescribed PT period to finish.Thus turning the morning into a rushing mess.

*Cardio has dropped.I have been giving 110% every morning,however my running has been drastically affected.I have have added minutes (1:36 5km 2:56 10km)to my running times with the same perceived effort as before.

*DOMS! Very effective.Nothing makes a man feel better IMHO!

*Weight control.Going from instructing DP1,with most evenings to myself to work out at the gym I was expecting to gain "mucho"fat while on a course of this length,as I am the kind of guy who MUST study to do well...sort of ruling out going to the gym at night.
However with short workouts lacking long distance cardio weight has not become an issue as I previously expected.

*We have been keeping track of how guys perform on the honor system.However what I took as a personal record,some from other Armd units take as a competition.SOMEHOW when I completed 16 reps,the guys from another English armd unit managed to take 3 breaks,dog it the whole 20 minutes and still get two higher than myself. ::)Gravy eating.... ;D

*Crossfit clearly shows you your weakness/strength's.

*For myself I believe if coupled with a bit of running crossfit could be the way to go.I now plan on completing crossfit WOD during the night while focusing on cardio during the morning PT period (which I have the privilege to do on my own after performing well on morning PT).

*And the big one for myself.Can be conducted INSIDE.There is nothing I hate more than waking up at 5h00 to go to the gym at 6h00 for a outside run(actually there is one...webbing marches..why the heck am I going for a walk for PT?Can we say time wasted!)Crossfit can be always staged in a nice warm gym with very little equipment.
 
EX_RCAC_011 said:
Since the start of My ARCC (3 months ago,or it feels that way;D)we have done crossfit everyday.Like anything some guys get a good work out,some dog it... as per in life in general.

What I have noticed:
*People with little to no background in any work out plan,are hurting bad.Most are having a hard time walking up a flight of stairs by wensday.

This is the problem with adopting something like CrossFit as a "one size fits all" program: there is a cost to starting people out on a program like this; they must be "eased" into it, either by starting with the lightest weights possible (i.e only bodyweight or assisted reps) and/or doing the requisite stick work for the Olympic lifts as part of the work-out. This will be mitigated when ALL units start doing these training sessions as part of their daily PT programs. Good luck on that......

*Quick workouts means more time to shower and get prepared for the days lessons.For us and the instructors.I highly value 5-10km runs however with people at many different fitness levels from civilian Ironman competetors to Extremely obese,usually takes well over the prescribed PT period to finish.Thus turning the morning into a rushing mess.

Amen to this issue. I find that traditional PT programs focus too much (IMO) on the warm up, easy run/play ball hockey/move some weights around ineffectively, cool down, rinse, repeat as neccesary. As EX-RCAC-011 alluded to, these periods are ripe for people to dog it, and nobody really gains: the instructors, the students, are left rushing to get ready on time, and the overall fitness will either drop (for those in good shape) and likely stay the same for the remainder. It looks good on paper (check in the box for carrying it out...) but in the end, it is only an inconvenience.

*Cardio has dropped.I have been giving 110% every morning,however my running has been drastically affected.I have have added minutes (1:36 5km 2:56 10km)to my running times with the same perceived effort as before.

I would argue that your cardio won't drop, it's just that the muscles involved in the running process might not get exercised. You don't train for running by swimming, nor for swimming by running. If the metcon exercises are done 100%, you will usually be sweating for hours afterwards, and even during the pure strength training exercises, if you are "givin' er" you will work your cardio, but maybe not your legs [for running] depending on the exercise.

*DOMS! Very effective.Nothing makes a man feel better IMHO!

WTF is 'DOMS'?!?!? Da Overall Muscular Strength?!?!? Sorry, but I haven't heard of that before (therefore it mustn't exist  :P)

*Weight control.Going from instructing DP1,with most evenings to myself to work out at the gym I was expecting to gain "mucho"fat while on a course of this length,as I am the kind of guy who MUST study to do well...sort of ruling out going to the gym at night.
However with short workouts lacking long distance cardio weight has not become an issue as I previously expected.

See my comment about cardio above, although cardio and weight control aren't necessarily the same. There are tables and charts that show "mets" values for various exercises: those are handy for weight control planning (i.e it isn't just the exercise you do: it's the duration, intensity, load, etc that determines how much energy is expended). I wish Dr's would issue chits that say something like "Members energy intake must  be lower than energy output". Dare to dream.....

*We have been keeping track of how guys perform on the honor system.However what I took as a personal record,some from other Armd units take as a competition.SOMEHOW when I completed 16 reps,the guys from another English armd unit managed to take 3 breaks,dog it the whole 20 minutes and still get two higher than myself. ::)Gravy eating.... ;D

Some people have no shame, and it doesn't matter what hatbadge one wears, Gilly. I was  starting to think that RCD stood for 'Really Chubby Dudes' when I saw the influx of, ahem, larger Dragoons into the School. I was starting  to think that you were getting all the gravy urns that we (the Strats) were getting sent to 202 Paintshop for overhaul due to the mileage we put on them. Keep in mind I  started my career as a Dragoon before you get your (Regimental) panties in a bunch  ;D

*Crossfit clearly shows you your weakness/strength's.

Oh yeah sister!!! If there are WODs that you hate, those are the ones you should focus on.....kind of a zen thing.... I  avoid certain exercises like the plague, and those are the ones that bite me in the ass on the WODs.


*For myself I believe if coupled with a bit of running crossfit could be the way to go.I now plan on completing crossfit WOD during the night while focusing on cardio during the morning PT period (which I have the privilege to do on my own after performing well on morning PT).

CrossFit is NOT designed to replace any exercise/fitness program: it is used by many elite athletes in conjunction with their normal workouts. Those cats get the opportunity to work out many hours of the day, whereas we don't always have that luxury. I just think it is a more efficient use of our training time.

*And the big one for myself.Can be conducted INSIDE.There is nothing I hate more than waking up at 5h00 to go to the gym at 6h00 for a outside run(actually there is one...webbing marches..why the heck am I going for a walk for PT?Can we say time wasted!)Crossfit can be always staged in a nice warm gym with very little equipment.

I agree and disagree: I agree with that it CAN be done inside, but it can also be done anywhere, including on operations, on course, in the field, etc. A few examples: I was teaching on a gunnery course a few weeks back, and I was missing out on my XFit workouts, so I  improvised. I grabbed a jerry can full of water (Note to those that want to try this: scale the amount of water in the can to suit your purposes, and make sure the cap doesn't leak, unless you like getting soaked on a wind-swept range) and did some Overhead Squats, some Overhead Lunges, used the water can as a platform to raise my feet for elevated push-ups, did Kettle-bell swings with the water can, and then did Hand-stand Push Ups against the range shack. Of course people (who were standing around smoking and playing grab-ass) were likely snickering and saying "WTF is that guy doing?!?!?!", but at least I  got my workout in without the benefit of a climate controlled gym. Another example: we were watching some video from A'stan the other day, and for a fleeting second, I saw a soldier (not sure if Infantry or Armour) doing bicep curls via a piece of wood, a bungee cord, and his vehicle. BowFlex it wasn't (and a useless exercise, IMO) but he was roughing it, and that  falls in line with the AFM and the AOFP Austere Conditions mentality of improvising and using whatever you have available.

For those in the Gagetown area, but not in the know: PSP have outfitted the field house with a XFIt training area (near the rock wall), so CrossFit is here!!! I have a few minor quibbles with what they have done (a rule that states that no supplemental equipment is allowed to be brought in.... does that mean no skipping ropes, or plyo boxes for box jumps??!?!? ), they are definitely showing that this isn't a fad that will soon pass.

BTW, excellent post Lee. There will be people who will call it (XFit) down, saying that it is old wine drank from a new bottle, or that somebody is going to get hurt doing the Oly lifts, or that it's too hard on the body, yada, yada, yada. There is the cult-like devotion to overlook: "Drink the Kool-aid, man" (look up Jonestown suicides if you don't get it), but I don't think that there is another program that comes even close to getting soldiers, LEOs, firefighters, etc for the rigours of their jobs. As one of the people who introduced XFit to me, and who led the charge to have it implemented at the Inf School (Capt JT Williams) said "I  won't be the last one pulling myself onto the helicopter [to leave the battlefield]". Amen.....

AL
 
Hey AL,

Are you coming back to the Regiment this APS? If so you will be happy to know that all Us SNCO's do pt with the RSM everyday except Thurs(for Obvious reasons). We do Crossfit with the psp staff on Mon, Tues, Wed, and a ruck march on Friday. The reason being that the base commander has decided that all CO and RSM in the brigade will do mountain man. They are still looking for a Sgt for the team, so if you are coming, why don't you bite the bullet and take one for the rest of us, I know you did it last year, so you know what to expect, right now they are eying up one of our maint Sgt's!

Tom!
 
Tom,

I am following Kirsten to Borden this summer. She is taking her 6B (Physicians Assistant), and I am posted to the NBC School. Come Feb 08, I am retiring/releasing/becoming a civvy (take your pick). The School finally won: they beat me down enough that I threw in the towel  :crybaby:

I really wanted to do Mountain Man last year, but I heard that they closed it to units outside of 1 Bde. Maybe I'll do Ironman in Pet one of these years.

Take care,

AL

 
Amen to this issue. I find that traditional PT programs focus too much (IMO) on the warm up, easy run/play ball hockey/move some weights around ineffectively, cool down, rinse, repeat as neccesary. As EX-RCAC-011 alluded to, these periods are ripe for people to dog it, and nobody really gains: the instructors, the students, are left rushing to get ready on time, and the overall fitness will either drop (for those in good shape) and likely stay the same for the remainder. It looks good on paper (check in the box for carrying it out...) but in the end, it is only an inconvenience.

Its actually really catching on here.I am very surprised.

WTF is 'DOMS'?!?!? Da Overall Muscular Strength?!?!? Sorry, but I haven't heard of that before (therefore it mustn't exist  )

However much I do like "Da Overall Muscular Strenght" its slightly a more nerdy Delayed Onset of Muscle Stiffness/Soreness.Or as some people refer to it, WDMBFH Why Does My Back Fat Hurt?



I wish Dr's would issue chits that say something like "Members energy intake must  be lower than energy output". Dare to dream.....
;)Yep


Some people have no shame, and it doesn't matter what hatbadge one wears. I was  starting to think that RCD stood for 'Really Chubby Dudes' when I saw the influx of, ahem, larger Dragoons into the School. I was starting  to think that you were getting all the gravy urns that we (the Strats) were getting sent to 202 Paintshop for overhaul due to the mileage we put on them. Keep in mind I  started my career as a Dragoon before you get your (Regimental) panties in a bunch 

I'm not a dragoon,Im skool skum. ;D Don't worry I was hoping for some flak vest for this course....just to see if some RCD could fit.


Oh yeah sister!!! If there are WODs that you hate, those are the ones you should focus on.....kind of a zen thing.... I  avoid certain exercises like the plague, and those are the ones that bite me in the *** on the WODs.

I cringe every time I see a certain ladys name.And not my wifes.

I grabbed a jerry can full of water (Note to those that want to try this: scale the amount of water in the can to suit your purposes, and make sure the cap doesn't leak, unless you like getting soaked on a wind-swept range) and did some Overhead Squats, some Overhead Lunges, used the water can as a platform to raise my feet for elevated push-ups, did Kettle-bell swings with the water can, and then did Hand-stand Push Ups against the range shack. Of course people (who were standing around smoking and playing grab-***) were likely snickering and saying "WTF is that guy doing?!?!?!", but at least I  got my workout in without the benefit of a climate controlled gym. Another example: we were watching some video from A'stan the other day, and for a fleeting second, I saw a soldier (not sure if Infantry or Armour) doing bicep curls via a piece of wood, a bungee cord, and his vehicle. BowFlex it wasn't (and a useless exercise, IMO) but he was roughing it, and that  falls in line with the AFM and the AOFP Austere Conditions mentality of improvising and using whatever you have available.

Coyote handles above the surv doors........ suddenly I heard"why are you doing pull up's you freak."
I got pic's of two 25mm ammo cans filled with sand and a camnet pole put into them to make a bar.Thought that was pretty cool myself.










 
Mr. Luomala,

I sent you a PM about your initial post about a CrossFit/AOFP board? I was just wondering if that message got through and if this board still exists.

Cheers
 
EX_RCAC_011 said:
WTF is 'DOMS'?!?!? Da Overall Muscular Strength?!?!? Sorry, but I haven't heard of that before (therefore it mustn't exist  )

However much I do like "Da Overall Muscular Strenght" its slightly a more nerdy Delayed Onset of Muscle Stiffness/Soreness.Or as some people refer to it, WDMBFH Why Does My Back Fat Hurt?

DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness usually lasting between 48-72 hrs after exercise.
 
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